Today, JK Rowling revealed that she's going to be writing the screenplay for some new movies set in the Harry Potter universe. They'll star a gentleman named Newt Scamander, author of the Hogwarts textbook "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." Well, we've got a theory about this Scamander fellow.

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When our own Jason Schreier posted the news, he and I started making jokes about Mr. Scamander's true identity in the comments. Our discussion led us to a surprising series of revelations, along with a hell of a (yes, possibly totally wrong) harebrained theory.

See… it turns out Scamander may have turned up in the main Potter stories, albeit in disguise.

Jason: I just noticed this part of the press release: "...and the adventures of the book’s fictitious author, Newt Scamander." I love that they needed to specify that the author of a Harry Potter textbook named "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" is fictitious. In case you were confused.

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Kirk: Maybe they thought if they didn't specify "fictitious" that people would assume the J.K. in J.K. Rowling actually stood for "Newt Scamander" this whole time. As in, "JK you guys, my name's actually Newt Scamander."

[Time passes.]

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Kirk:IMPORTANT POTTERVERSE LORE-UPDATE: Awesomely, the wikipedia entry for the novelty version of the Fantastic Beasts textbook that Rowling wrote way back in 2001 includes this bit:

Although Rowling has never hidden the fact that she is the author of Fantastic Beasts, "Newt Scamander" can nevertheless be considered a pseudonym of hers, as he is technically the author listed on the book's cover.

JK ROWLING REALLY IS NEWT SCAMANDER.

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Also this:

In the film version of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Newt Scamander's name appeared on the Marauder's Map. Why he was at Hogwarts was not addressed, but it is likely to be linked to Buckbeak, the Hippogriff Hagrid has at the school.

The plot... thickens

Jason: Hahaha holy shit if Newt Scamander is an Animagus and is actually Buckbeak that'd be the best thing ever.